The Legacy
by Aleksei Volken
Summary: AU. A brave Enforcer hunting down a relentless serial killer, a brilliant researcher and a little girl will have to face the darkest side of human nature and make decisions of life or death to protect what they love the most. FateNanoha & SignumShamal
1. The start is not always the beginning

Hi there.

This story is was originally created and co-authored with Galadan in its original version in Spanish. If you read Spanish and want to give a try, you can find it complete here at as well.

For reader´s reference, this is an Alternative Universe where magic doesn´t exist and is not related with the original plot of the MSLN series. The original idea is developed in a highly advanced world that is not our Earth and any similarity between them is pure coincidence.

The main location for this fic is Midchilda City. I know that Midchilda is the name of the planet where MSLN occurs and the city name is Cranagan, but let it slide this time please, (I like Midchilda name more). In this world, agent Enforcer Fate Testarossa Harlaown works for the Tactical and Strategic Bureau Authority (TSAB) investigating violent crimes. Fate, together with her team has been assigned with the investigation of a serial killer and during this assignment; Fate will have to face some terrible ghosts from her past and will have to make life or death decisions for her and the people she cares.

Hope you will find it interesting, thanks in advance for your comments and reviews.

**WARNING:** This Fic **Fate-Nanoha** and it is rated **M** for strong or violent content and sexual encounters between two females. If this kind of content offends you in any way, if you are easily upset by explicit violent or sexual scenes or if you don´t have the age for reading M content, please don´t read.

**DISCLAIMER:** Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha´s characters belong to their authors. Plot belongs to Aleksei Volken & Galadan. All the characters and situations described in this fic are fictional. Any similarity with real people or situation is not intentional and purely coincidental.

This story is unbetaed in its English version and English is not my native language, so thanks for your patience!

* * *

><p><strong>The Legacy<strong> (English Version by Aleksei Volken)

-X-

**Chapter 1.** **The start, is not always the beginning.**

_Light is the left hand of darkness  
>and darkness the right hand of light.<em> _  
>Two are one, life and death, lying<br>together like lovers in kemmer,  
>like hands joined together,<br>like the end and the way_

-X-_  
><em>

_**Midchilda City Suburbs, 12**__**th**__** Day, 12**__**th**__** Month, 22:00 hrs. **_

Agent Enforcer Fate Testarossa Harlaown, leader of the TSAB´s 1st Unit against Violent Crimes, forced herself to remain still in the middle of the horror that her latest crime scene was.

Just few minutes ago, her second in command took the only survivor of the massacre surrounding her at a safe place; IF any place could be considered like that from now on for that kid.

So far, they didn´t know how big what the shit in their hands but Fate was sure of something, it was dreadfully…terrible. The police department on that section called TSAB due the magnitude of the incident, of the tragedy in front of them and mostly also, due the fact that it was a survivor of it; a little one…a little girl.

Fate´s team and the police were still confirming the identities of the family, but whoever they were; they lived in a highly uptown and reserved area of the city. Only the powerful and influential people lived around. That case was on the way to become a hot and awful nightmare for anyone on charge…and that person was Fate at that very moment or more precisely, her boss, TSAB Colonel Hayate Yagami.

And whoever was responsible of the horror around her, surely was not counting with a potential witness. That little kid will turn on to be instrumental for that case.

Standing up on the middle of the living room, Fate let her eyes travel around the space, trying to imagine the place as it was…before. The living was a traditional setting for Midchildian family houses, it was the core area where the family gathered all together after work and school for spending time together, hacing diner, play, talk…This house living room was bigger than the mean, very spacious and completely automated with the latest technological gadgets. Automatic blinds, door, temporizers, big windows showed the gardens surrounding the house; and everything to make the family life easier, comfortable…safer. The walls was painted in warm, soft tones and the furniture matched the set creating a warm and cozy atmosphere. The family that lived there felt comfortable in that room, they felt safe there…they trusted they will be safe there.

But they weren´t.

That was the very place that the killer chose for his performance. And he took his time. Fate was sure about that, the crime scene unit was still working silently and efficiently around the scene and no result was still available but she knew it. It was still too early in the analysis to know who died first but at that very moment four dead bodies were distributed around the living room in a way that could be anything but randomly. The whole setting speaks loud about a careful preparation and an implacable execution.

The first body belonged to an adult man. He was deprived of the eighty percent of his skin with surgical accuracy and was hanging up from the ceiling, his body as a crucifix in the north side of the living room, just in front of the big window. Some body fluids were still dripping from the body to the pool on his feet where his blood was coagulating.

Just in front of the man, at the south of the living room; a woman, possibly the wife of the man, was strongly tied with her hands on her back and gagged. She was skewered using a sophisticated metal pole almost five feet tall; the pole was fixed on the floor with strong industrial studs. In all her years in service, Fate never saw something like that before.

Finally, at the east and west sides of the living room, naked and tide in what seemed a painful position, two adolescents that barely had thirteen years old and that Fate considered as the twin sons of the couple were killed with one deep cut on their throats. The slash was so deep that both boys' head hung backwards in a vile angle. Their blood had spattered around them on the floor and walls, pouring forth the terrible wounds.

Fate was forcing herself to remain still and cool in the middle of that madness. During her years working as a special agent investigating and solving violent crimes and mainly, serial killer cases, she developed her own way to try to understand horrible thing that could not be understood by normal and regular people, her way to get_ into_ the monster.

The first this she did was stand in the middle of the scene, as she was doing; and imagine the space as it was before the crime happened, and then superimpose the image of whatever horror could happen in that space during and after the crime. But never, ever in her life she faced something like _that_.

Her fellow subordinates, agents Vice Granscenic and Alto Krauetta did their best to try to…prepare her for what she will see but that effort was vain. Nothing can prepare you for that level of brutality and violence.

She breathed and tried again. Being able to analyze and understand a scene like that was fundamental for the future success of the investigation, Fate knew it; she had to absorb all the details that will allow her and her team to build up this case. She was exactly trying to do that and…to compose herself of the overwhelming emotions inside her.

Involuntarily, her mind turned back again and again at the small blonde head that Shamal carried on her arms not so much time ago. The girl was alive and presumably unharmed but completely shocked.

Fate made a last rational effort to focus on the job that she and she only had to do there, making a mental notes about what she wanted to ask Shamal later about the little survivor girl. Independently of her feelings, that girl will be a core piece of that hell of a case.

The living room lights were all turned on but when Fate arrived after the urgent message Alto sent her, and now her whole team was there working together with the local police department in the case.

The room still was like the first officer on the scene saw it; completely on the darkness, the only illumination coming from the twin moons of Midchilda and small floating light candles; these were strategically located, almost in the way that one will do it in a romantic diner.

Fate felt a stealthy presence around her, waiting. She didn´t need to ask who was there, it could only be one person. Her second in command was the only one allowed to get near her when she was evaluating a scene for the first time. She turned slightly to meet her icy blue eyes; it was no need of unnecessary words or explanations between them. Signum Yagami was working at the TSAB division for Violent Crimes under her command only two years but they knew each other from years ago, it was her boss older sister and the person Fate trusted the most in her life.

"The technical guys are done, Fate. We can proceed when you order."

"Take everybody out Signum, turn all the lights off and give few more minutes here."

Signum was already on her way to fulfill her orders when Fate voice stopped her.

"Signum…Has Shamal reported something…about the girl?"

Signum arched an inquisitive brow. Fate´s voice was steady and professional but something in its hue caught her attention.

"Yes," she answered cautiously, "she called me few minutes ago. They arrived TSAB research and medical facility, she is still running some test but it seems the girl is…physically unhurt."

Fate didn´t make more questions and two seconds after the complete darkness and silence surrounded her, the small candles next to each body was the only illumination in the room.

Fate walked until she was facing each one them, then she changed her position trying to see what every one of them saw before their death. Slowly, the understanding reached her. With a shiver, she had a very bad hunch about what the autopsies will reveal about those dead and felt a steel fist crushing her heart. They will really face a monster.

When she got out to the street, her team was already there waiting for her. The wind was really cold at that time; it was the beginning of the winter but for Fate breathing that cold air was refreshing after that scene. Two men and three women were there with identical black uniforms exactly like the one she was wearing. The insignias in her chest were the only thing that differentiated her as the officer in command. All the other officers, agents and technicians at the scene knew perfectly who they were and kept a respectful distance around the group.

"Tell them the scene can be cleaned Signum."

A small nod was Signum stoic answer but she didn´t move from her spot.

"What´s up?" Fate asked promptly. Her team was waiting her for a reason.

"While you were doing the last analysis on the scene, Zafira found something you should see."

A quick glance on her team told her that whatever that new finding was, all of them already saw it. Alto, Vice and the youngest member of her team, Lucino Liilie looked deadly serious.

"This way," Zafira said walking towards the house again.

Fate noticed that Signum walked behind the, but the other members of her team remained on the same place.

Zafira got into the house and passing through the living room without a second look, continued all the way to the stairs and walked up to the house´s second floor that Fate didn´t visit before. The only place where the violence was present was in the living room. Nothing in the rest of the house was out of place and everything was untarnished and clean. With the exception of the air. After some hours, the whole house smelled at blood and death.

Zafira entered a room in the second floor and when she got in; Fate knew it was the room of a little girl. The walls were painted in white with details in pastel blue and pink, the furniture was unostentatious like the rest of the furniture in the house but there were several stuffed toys and framed pictures.

Zafira went directly to the closet, open it and stood aside for Fate to have a look inside.

Fate stood there paralyzed. The closet was completely empty and a message was written with blood in the white wall. Some of the letters looked a little heightened and she needed a couple of seconds to understand why.

Her breathing quickened and her heart beat in a runaway. The message written there was for her.

"_I LET HER LIVE…FATE"_

Her name was not written in blood as originaly though but with strips of bloody skin.

"We can not say it is refered to you," Signum said with calm voice as if reading Fate´s mind. "That word might have several other meanings."

Fate knew Signum was right and with the passing seconds she could feel gaining her control back but still a chill roved her just by looking her name written with human skin.

"Have the forensics been in this room?" she asked with controlled voice finally.

"No yet, Zafira just showed me few minutes before you met us outside."

"Now…" Fate gained confidence again, "we need a detailed and deep checking up on the whole house, an extremely careful one. This means that the killer knew about the girl."

"It seems so…" Signum said baldly. She always prefered to be one hundred percent sure of any judgement.

In normal conditions, Fate would have the same opinion but this time her instinct was telling her this case was a lot more serious than any other case they had before.

"I will go back at the office with the guys," Fate said, "You and Zafira stay here and make sure everything is done properly. We have to apply an strict media control. There is no way we can´t avoid the notice of the murder but no one, absolutely no one, should know about this room."

Signum and Zafira nod their head in agreement.

"We will meet at the office when you are done. Maybe Shamal might have something about the girl by then."

"That's another…point we have to mention Fate…" Signum said calmly while Zafira took with gloved hand one of the framed pictures and handed it to Fate.

It was a family photo and Fate recognized the man, the woman and the young boys smiling. They were already dead at the living room.

"…The girl Shamal took with her is not the girl on these pictures."

The information made fit in Fate´s mind. The girl Shamal took with her was blonde, like her…the girl that was smiling at the picture was pink haired like the grown woman. The father and the boys had red hair. Fate looked at the other pictures. None of them had a blonde girl.

Fate gritted her teeth. That small little girl probably saw the hell itself at that young age…just as she did.

"Let me know when you are done here and in your way to the office," she said more harshly than she intended but couldn´t avoid it and left the room.

It was almost midnight. Signum and Zafira looked at each other knowing that was going to be a very long night.

-X-

_**Midchildian University Suburbs 24:00 hrs. **_

Three young women laughed cheerfully while walking on the empty streets towards the apartment they shared near by the University.

University of Midchilda huge campus promoted the growing of urban areas surrounding the complex and several researchers and academician lived there. The luxurious apartment buildings there were too expensive for regular students but this particular group of friend, worked really hard convincing their wealthy enough parents and putting together the money from their first jobs and their parent´s money, they rented a big and comfortable apartment during her last year of college.

That was their first apartment and their first try living "all by themselves." Five years after, they were no longer a bunch of money constrained student but respected university professors and researchers, and no longer needed help from their parents to pay it.

Now they had other problems. Like their parents saying they were already grown up women and very capable of living alone. Meaning, each one of them living alone, setting down, be responsible, get married and have a family. But they at their twenty eight years old were perfectly happy living as they were and didn´t see any reason to change.

They lived in an up town, classy neighborhood; in a luxurious building and putting their income together, live easily with no concern or problems. They could do whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted with no explanations to no one. It was really heaven on earth for any young and smart woman.

A husband? A family? Why the heck they needed that?

However, neither of their parents shared that logical and rational point of view.

That was the topic of their conversation while walking slowly despite the cold around them.

"…So, it seems that YOUR dad has been talking just too much with my dad lately, Nanoha-chan!" The young blonde that had been talking in a row for the last ten minutes finally finished her point, picking at her friend shoulder as protest.

"Mou…Arisa-chan…That is not fair, I could say the same!" the alluded fought back pretending to be offended by the implication, "It was your that the one that gave us the preach about responsibility and adult age."

That night, Nanoha´s parents invited her daughter and friends to the family restaurant for diner. Midoriya started as a small cafeteria close to the elementary school were the three studied and befriended more than fifteen years ago. On the present day, is was a respected restaurant of international cuisine.

"Arisa-chan…" called the brunette girl closing the group, "Nanoha´s parents are the more, let´s say, considered ones. They are not pushing off every time they see us to "make something useful with our lives."

"So Suzuka, the question ´Do you girls already have a SERIOUS relationship´ what the hell was?" the blonde asked boldly.

"Well, that´s a bit your fault Arisa-chan…you talk about a different guy every time we meet them," Nanoha said mischievously.

"That´s because one has to be sure about the right guy! You know what is said, one has to kiss many toads to find the prince," Arisa sticked up for her point.

"Well, I certainly prefer to find my prince in own species," Nanoha counterattacked.

They were already very close of their building so Nanoha looked on her purse, the digital control that unlocked the building security system.

"Hey…" Arised yelled angrily, "Well, you are not exactly striving to dead looking for your prince. The brand new director of the Infinite Library had been dying to get a date with you and you have ignored him completely."

"Ah…not again, Arisa-chan. I have already told you that Yunno-kun and I are friends. And friends only. Remember that…"

Arisa knew perfectly what Nanoha was going to say and interrupted her promptly.

"Yeah, yeah, we know…Yunno was our school little mate for a few month back then at elemtary school like hundreds of years ago…What a coincidence!" and after a dramatic pause glaring at Nanoha, "And what the hell does that matter for you to fucking him now!"

"Arisa!"

Both Nanoha and Suzuka yelled and beat her friend for that shouting out comment in the middle of the street. And like many other times, they stopped right there arguing like little kids and not like the respected university professors they were.

Until a deep masculine voice interrupted their arguing.

"Good night ladies, seem you a bit alone around her…but we can gladly fix that."

The three friends noticed just then than four men got around them during their discussion. They also noticed that those men and they were the only living persons on the street at that time.

The street were very illuminated but empty. It was later that they expected and the area was very safe but something in the guys´ poses was a little menacing for Nanoha´s point of view.

Arisa gave her dry opinion to the guys before Suzuka or Nanoha could say anything.

"You are wrong. We don´t need any help…so get lost kid."

But they were not willing to let it slide so easily.

"Come on, the night is starting. You girls want fun, we want fun…let´s have fun together!" the talker was obviously the leader but the others got closer as he spoke, "So let´s start for the basics, what are your names pretty girls?"

Nanoha and Suzuka were cool and calm, Nanoha was considering calling the neighborhood security and the police but Arisa was getting piss of the whole setting.

"Mind you own business and leave us alone."

After saying that, Arisa made a gesture to her friends and started walking toward their building but the guys quickly stepped in blocking them and standing even closer than before. The guys looked very young and certainly not looked like delinquents but like university students with not much to do, looking for troubles.

"Come on, don´t be boring!" the leader insisted. This time the others also start asking their name and offering to go some other place to talk.

"You girls can´t just reject us without getting to know us. That would be unfair. Let have some time together, talk and you´ll see what a great time you will have."

Nanoha and her friend didn´t answer to any of the question and just waited for the guys to shut up.

"The answer is no…to everything, Now if you leave us alone now, we won´t call the police so, move on," Arisa said defiantly.

They guys laughed loudly and didn´t move.

Nanoha decided it was time to intervene. Arisa´s way was proving not effective at all.

"Look guys, this is really…unpleasant. Your behavior is very disrespectful and offensive. I don´t know if you are university students or not, but we work at the University and is will be the best for you, to leave it…now."

The group leader, was arguing with Arisa but kept an appreciative eye over Nanoha all the time and took advantage of her intervention to talk her.

"Wow, you are really beautiful, why don´t we talk of something more pleasant then…you will see that you have a wrong opinion about me…"

While talking the guy raised his hand to reach Nanoha´s hair but this never reach its target. A black hand grabbed his fingers painfully.

Genuine surprise showed in the guy´s face when they noticed who interrupted them. Just the same way that they landed on the unaware women, they were caught with the guard off by three stunning figures dressing in imposing black uniforms.

The group leader looked alternatively, his mouth open with surprise, between his hand and the face of the blonde woman snatching it. A blonde woman that was even taller than him. Then he noticed her partners, equally dressed in black looking at him dead seriously.

The next thing they heard was that said woman voice giving instructions while putting on him restraining movement handcuffs so fast that he could not even oppose.

"Vice, Alto…arrest the others." The blonde gaze while saying that was implacable. "And call the local police to take care of them."

It took less than a minute have the guys sitting down at the sidewalk under Vice´s stern gaze.

"Are you ok," Fate finally asked at the women.

"Of course we are," Arisa answered, "Thank you very much for your assistance but we had everything under control."

"Arisa-chan!" Suzuka said elbowing Arisa to shut her imprudent friend and took the lead, "Thank you very much agent, the truth is…it was getting ugly. Is truly rare to see this situations around and we didn´t know if we should call the police or what."

"You always shall call the police," Fate said seriously, "And it will be even better if you avoid talking with strangers like that late night in a empty street. One never knows what could happen on those circumstances."

While her friends talked, Nanoha observed Fate carefully. It was obvious that they were not cops, she identified TSAB uniform.

"Err…as I was saying," Arisa took the lead again a bit pissed by Fate´s scolding, "thank you but there is no need that you get after us too Agent."

"They are not cops Arisa," Nanoha said looking at Fate.

Before anyone could say anything, Alto approached calling Fate taking her away.

"I understand your reason to intervene Fate but we can´t arrest these guys. Vice is scaring them to dead and I called our friends at the police station but there is not much else we can do."

"Should we wait until we have a scene like the one we had earlier then?" Fate gaze was hard when looked back at her subordinate. Then she calmed down. It was not Alto´s fault that she was over-sensitive that night. "Look Alto, I know what you mean. I just want to avoid…unnecessary losing. Let´s hurry up; we have to be at the office as soon as possible."

"So…can we leave now agent…it very late, you know?"

Fate sent a glare at the unabashed blonde and her friends yelling at her for being so insolent. That woman should be truly problematic.

"How far away is your place?" Fate asked instead.

"It just there Agent, we were almost there when those guys showed up," Suzuka said pointing at her place.

It was really close but Fate walked them anyway leaving Alto and Vice with the guys. Once there Fate recommended them again to always call the police and be aware just in case they see the same guys fooling around again.

Under the bright light of the building entrance, Nanoha finally had a clear view of the Agent´s features. Her face was slender and delicate but firm, engraved and elegant but what caught her attention deeply were her eyes, of a deep crimson hue.

Fate noticed the detailed exam of the redhead and uncomfortable, said her farewell and left. Suzuka and Arisa got into the building quickly but Nanoha stayed there looking at the blonde walking away.

"Are getting in or will you ask her for her number?" Arisa asked at her friend..

"Arisa-chan!" Nanoha protested annoyed while following her friends to the elevator.

"Well, you stared at her almost drooling."

Nanoha made an indignant snort, "THAT is not true!"

"She is very beautiful," Suzuka added, "and very tall."

"But she has a sad gaze," Nanoha said a bit absently, her anger with Arisa quickly forgotten.

"That had not helped Yunno…"

And quickly restored.

Nanoha and Arisa started arguing again as they did on the street while Suzuka watched them amused. They finally reach their apartment at the seventh floor of the building. As soon as they got in, the automatic sensors turned the lights on and deliverd their messages. The two women argued a bit more Until Nanoha got silent and thoughtful.

"Now what?" Arisa asked.

Nanoha walked to the wide window they had and took a look at the main street. The dark figures still could be seen with the red and blue light of the patrol car that just arrived.

"I was thinking that we…didn´t ask her name," she answered looking at the blonde from the distance.

After leaving the young woman safe on their house, Fate walked back were Alto and Vice were already with Ginga Nakajima and Tiida Lanster, police officers and good friends of them. She couldn´t not completely get rid of the strange feeling she got when the redhead with blue eyes looked at her few minutes ago. The woman stared at her as if she could look through her. Very few people could see the person she truly was and the fact that a complete strange could make her feel that way, bewildered her.

Once they were ready to leave, Fate face the guy that was leading the group and with a steel gaze she warned him, "I really hope that you have the common sense for never, ever in your life, bother those women again. If any of them even stumble on the street and complain about you, I will go for you and you will truly regret it."

Tiida, Ginga, Vice and Alto ran out speechless. Fate just threatened a citizen as if she were saying him the time of the day.

"Did you understand?"

The poor guy just nodded frantically.

Fate, Vice and Alto thanked her police friend at took their way to the TSAB office again, where they were heading when they saw the guys approaching the girls and decided to stay and watch.

Once they were into the car, Lucino started the engine and drove towards their office. "I´m glad you insisted to stay Fate. Those guys could turn on nasty of those girls."

Lucino, who was still very young, worried about the girls since the first time the saw them.

"The best way to prevent an incident is not let it happen," the incident was a quick distraction but Fate´s minds was already back thinking at the murder case. A family was murdered cruelly. A little girl had survived the horror. It was truly that the killer´s will? Why? They had a lot more questions tan answers like everytime they had a hard case. And this was one of the hardest. And this time, Fate also had atwo additional disturbing questions. It was really her name that written on the wall? And if it was, why?

"Some terrible incidents cannot be avoided though," Fate said looking at the streets as the passed by with the car, "They fall into us like a storm, like the darkness in the ocean…There is nothing we can do to avoid them."

Vice, who was driving that night, tightened the grip on the wheel. He knew why Fate had that somber mood. "We will catch that bastard, Fate."

Traditionally, that would have been Fate´s line surely using a different noun. She truly appreciated Vice effort to encourage her, however this time; they will have to do a lot more than just cheering up mutually.

"We have to do it Vice, or many people will die."

-X-

Thanks for your reviews guys.


	2. Unexpected Meetings

Hi everybody.

Here is chapter two on the translation project. Thanks to everybody who left reviews and comments on the previous chapter and thank to all following up with the story.

**Special thanks** to my wonderful and beautiful beta reader Rogue Devlin for all the time, patience and effort reading, correcting, helping and inspiring me for this. You guys have no idea how much better this chapter is after her! Really, thank you very much Rogue.

Any issue or mistake with this story, I am afraid is my fault.

**WARNING:** This Fic is **Fate-Nanoha** and it is rated **M** for strong or violent content and sexual encounters between two females. If this kind of content offends you in any way, if you are easily upset by explicit violent or sexual scenes or if you don´t have the age for reading M content, please don´t read.

**DISCLAIMER:** Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha´s characters belong to their authors. Plot belongs to Aleksei Volken & Galadan. All the characters and situations described in this fic are fictional. Any similarity with real people or situation is not intentional and purely coincidental.

Today´s soundtrack is "Angels" by Within Temptation

* * *

><p><strong>The Legacy<strong> (English Version by Aleksei Volken)

**Chapter 2.** **Unexpected Meetings.**

_Sparkling angel  
>I believe<br>You are my saviour  
>In my time of need<br>Blinded by faith  
>I couldn't hear<br>All the whispers  
>The warning's so clear<em>

-X-

_**Midchilda City Suburbs, 12**__**th**__** Day, 12**__**th**__** Month, 22:30 hrs. **_

"_I look at them from the distance. I am not THAT close…but not that far either. I am closer enough to feel…the ambience, to listen at the slightly frightening whispers of the lurkers…to smell their fear. The whole scenery amuses me, how they pretend to have everything under control; it pleases me to see how much resources they move. ¡Everything because of ME! It is hard not to smile while looking at them walking hurriedly from one side to another, yelling instructions and orders, keeping the people away. Even behind the security fence I can clearly see the faces of some of them when they get out of the house. They really appreciate my achievements; especially her. I saw her since she arrived. Well, I was waiting for her. I was counting she will be the one sent to chase me. Now she is looking at me through my handwork, I have longed for her for so long that I can barely wait for our next encounter…Fate."_

"Signum," Zafira called his commander discreetly, Fate had just left the scene a few minutes ago and the pink haired Lieutenant was giving instructions to keep the people away. Several lurkers, despite the late night, gathered to pry around when they say the emergency vehicles and the lights on the house.

Without further explanation, Zafira offered a thin device with the last information that had been provided about the case. There was no need to explain anything else.

They had served together at the special army forces for ten years; they were forged as warriors under fire fighting together back to back. Aside of those little facts, they grew up together after being adopted by the same family, the Yagami. Hayate, Fate´s boss, childhood friend and superior commander of the whole Special Unit Six, better known as Colonel Yagami…was their little sister as well.

So in more ways than one, they were siblings, family and for the past two years, they also worked together better than no one else at TSAB in Fate´s team.

After his early retirement from the military, it took Zafira almost a year to convince Signum to do the same and join TSAB. None of them regretted their decision. Their loyalty and dedication to Fate and the work they did were beyond question.

So, when Signum quickly read the information that Zafira handed to her, she knew all of them would be deep under fire.

"Goddammit, this will become a damn huge problem," she whispered almost under her breath after reading the identity of the murdered family as well as other relevant information. "We have to let Hayate and Fate know about this. ASAP."

-X-

_**TSAB Headquarter, Unit Six Offices, Special Unit Against Violent Crimes , Midchilda, 13**__**th**__** Day **__**12**__**th**__** Month, 01:00 hrs.**_

It was way past one a.m. when Fate and her team gathered together at Unit Six´s main meeting room. Hayate Yagami was waiting for them since several minutes ago checking on the information that was piling together with her personal assistant, Agent Rein Force, agent Shari Finieno and the most veteran agent of Unit Six, Griffith Lowran.

"It took you guys a while to get here," Hayate said cool-headedly despite the time and the latest news, "Are you going to tell me that the traffic was a madness at midnight?"

"Hayate…good evening…or morning, whatever it is," Fate answered looking at the time briefly and without further explanations, just turned her device on. On their way to the office she had integrated all the last information that Signum and Shamal had provided and synchronized it with Hayate´s device to share the info both of them had.

"We had to make an…emergency stop, Colonel Yagami" Alto explained instead of Fate while Vice and Lucino greeted everybody and took their seats on the table.

Hayate arched an eyebrow looking at Fate attentively all the time.

Giving up with a sigh, Fate knew her boss wouldn´t let them at ease until she knew what had delayed them. Fate explained her as succinctly as possible the small incident they intervened and just started her debriefing in the case. But Hayate didn´t bit the lure.

"Wow, wow, wow, hold on a sec, Enforcer Testarossa…Are you saying that you 'pretended' to arrest some civilians for 'talking'?"

"They were not just talking," Fate said looking at Hayate dryly.

"That kind of…tasks are not part of our job description, Fate," Hayate countered intrigued by Fate´s decision. Signum had already given her details of the crime scene and also told her that she was worried about Fate, and not just because the message they found. "Is everything OK?" she asked.

"Of course," Fate answered coldly, "And trust me, I understand your point. But I didn´t think it was appropriate that we, as safety forces, just pass by a possible dangerous situation for those girls as if nothing."

Both friends looked at each other fixedly for several seconds until Hayate realized that she would have to let be…for now.

Keeping her voice all professional, informed her team of the last disturbing finding.

"The identity of the murdered family has been confirmed. Renowned doctor, Megane Alpine; her husband, _Senator_ Logan Alpine…," Fate and everybody else in the room shifted on their seats at the names. "As well as their twin sons, Dyane and Méhari. As you can read in the file, she was a prestigious researcher for Midchilda University until two years ago and Mr. Alpine…well, you can read for yourselves. It is unnecessary to stress the point that our superiors are more than interested that the case can be solved quickly and efficiently. Let´s just say that Logan Alpine, aside of his prominent position, also had powerful friends that are currently highly upset by the news and the way, Logan and his family were attacked."

"Hell they are," Vice emphasized shaking his head. As if the case wasn´t damn hard already, now they will have a horde of politicians stabbing their asses for results.

Fate´s device was connected to the big screen they had at the room and was showing a picture of the Alpine Family. One very similar to those she saw on the house.

"What about the girl that shows in the family picture?" Lucino asked pointing at the little girl with pinky-purplish hair smiling at the picture which was quite similar to Megane´s hair.

"And more important, what about the girl that Shamal brought back with her?" Fate added her gaze fixed at the pictures on the screen.

"The girl on the picture is Lutecia Alpine, the youngest daughter of the Alpine. A couple of years ago, she was kidnaped. The case is still open. After that incident, Dr. Alpine resigned from her position at the university and even when civilian involvement is not allowed in federal investigation such as this one, she made her purpose in life to find her daughter. To say it in black and white terms, Logan and his contacts at the Parliament influenced a lot who was the investigation team working on their daughter case and Megane was in deep and close contact with them.

"And who is the investigation leader?" Fate fixed her gaze at Hayate foreseeing that the answer was not good for them at all.

"Unit Nine, General Regious Gaiz," Hayate said with a somewhat sad smile and a general huff was heard in the whole room. Fate felt an immediate rejection at the General´s name. Rejection that was mutual in any case since the General despised her and Hayate the same. However under the current circumstances, Fate assumed that the great general would have to tolerate them both.

"To answer your question Fate; Doctor Alpine was completely obsessed with finding her daughter. We can´t anticipate reasons that are unknown to us but it's a line we will have to investigate since the kid was with her, at the university when she was abducted. Two months ago, Logan Alpine decided to take care as foster family of a girl. She is the girl that we rescued from the scene. The girl, according to TSAB records is Vivio Kaiser."

The subtle whisper of a memory fluttered in Fate´s mind at that name. Kaiser. She was sure she had heard that name before. Everybody waited in expectant silence for more information but Hayate remained silent.

And when she finally spoke, her words were not what the ones expected at all.

"The girl´s file is classified and it is not available for us to see."

"What?"

"What the fuck!"

Those were the sort of angry expressions she got at the notice, together with a positively killer glare from Fate.

Standing up, a little bit more heated than regular, Fate confronted her boss, "How do they expect us to solve this case if the keep important information from us?"

"Don´t think I haven´t made my point about the matter, Fate," Hayate exposed trying to calm the Enforcer. "You know that there are very, very few things within the classification level that exclude our Unit. Unfortunately, this is one of those. "

Waving her hand to keep Fate shut, she continued, "I have already made an urgent request to Admiral Lindy and Director Gracia but TSAB Security Council as well as the Administrative Committees have to give the final approval. So…as much as it bothers me, we will have to wait for that and keep working with what we have."

"So…" Vice said pensively, "It has THAT classification level."

"Right," Hayate continued unblocking the rest of the information she had for her team, "Vivio Kaiser, six years old. Since two months ago, the Alpine are her legal tutors. Her file has the highest secrecy classification level. That´s it. There are no family records or any more background information. About her current physical conditions, we will need Shamal´s report of the subject."

Just then, as if Hayate would have requested her to show up exactly at that time, the automatic sliding door opened and Shamal Yagami entered the room.

She, just as Signum and Zafira had been adopted by Hayate´s parents before they died when she was a very little girl. Hayate was for all ends, her adored younger sister but Shamal always respected Fate´s position as her superior, just as siblings did.

Shamal was the scientific and medical branch of Fate´s team and despite the fact that she never had military training as her family; she was a valuable member of the team. Every person on Fate´s team earned her position on it, it was a matter of competence and talent and not influences as many jealous people used to spread in the agency gossip.

"Shamal, you can´t be more timely," Hayate said.

"Hi guys," Shamal greeted her colleagues while letting her eyes rove around the room. "Signum and Zafira are not here yet?"

"They should be here soon," Fate answered looking at the new information that Shamal device was sharing with them. "How is the girl doing?"

Shamal looked a bit disappointed that Zafira and Signum were not there yet but recovered quickly and gave her report.

"Physically, she is not injured. We have determined that she doesn´t have any physical injury or any other…abuses either," almost imperceptibly everybody sighed with relief, "However, the psychological and emotional side is completely another matter. She is in shock and didn´t respond to any stimulation. We decided to sedate her for the next few hours to allow her to recover. There is a slight possibility that recovering consciousness gradually will produce a positive reaction on her."

"What will be a positive reaction?" Fate wanted to know.

"Well, at this time, anything will be," Shamal said looking her commander, "She was catatonic Fate. Crying, anger, the smallest emotional reaction will give us a chance to help her."

"Well, so far we are in dead end regarding her," Vice intervened.

"That´s…exactly right. We will need the authorization for her file and definitely, will need to wait for her to recover enough before interview her," Hayate was looking at the screen as if all the answers were there, at the little girl frozen image.

"We dont know the most important answer either," Fate said somberly. "Why he let her live."

As everybody remained silent, Fate decided to make the question that was bugging her mind since they knew the girl was a classified file.

"If that Little girl is so important that she is classified, why did they let her under our care? Why the hell are we on charge of this case?" Fate finally said exasperated.

Hayate smiled slyly, she knew Fate would make that question sooner or later.

"Let say we have a reputation," Unit Six under Hayate´s command was one of the most skilled ones in the agency, putting jealousy and envy aside, they handle very dangerous and risky situations always efficiently and successfully. Very few ones questioned that. Regius Gaiz was among their detractors but no more than handful more than him. "And…I should say that our family bonds are useful sometimes."

Hayate explained then how the case was ascending in priority as more information was being discovered and revealed and how important it will be for them on the days for come. When they got the confirmation about the family identity and they confirmed that Vivio was a classified target, the calls fell on upon other vertiginously from the highest political levels to land graciously in the TSAB´s Director of Special Units' lap, Carim Gracia, the General Director Admiral Lindy Harlaown and; the Chief Admiral of TSAB Tactical Division and Parliament Security Advisor Gil Graham.

It was just pure coincidence and good luck that Lindy was Fate´s foster mother and Gil, Hayate´s father´s best friend and her family tutor after their parents died.

That case was definitely having the highest priority a case had in years and the Admirals had no doubt about who were the more capable and suitable persons to solve it.

"How can they keep information from us in that case Hayate?" After saying that she almost yelled, "How, in the name of God, can we be sure if this terrible incident is not related with that classified information?"

"Calm down Fate, trust me…I know and share your point," Hayate made even more emphasis in her words. "We have to wait and trust that Lindy and Carim are doing everything they can to help us. I don´t want to even imagine the kind of political maneuvers they doing right now at two in the morning."

Fate thought about and decided she didn´t want to know either what her mother was doing at..

But unlike Hayate, she was at house, standing up in the middle of the horror. She saw and felt.

"No Hayate, this time you don´t understand." Fate´s voice was remarkably more calmed but Hayate felt a shiver noticing her somber tone. "Have you seen the images of what that…beast did to them? I was there Hayate. Whoever did that is not human. Not in the way we understand 'human. ' This …thing…," Fate continued with strangled voice, showing in the screen the image´s from the murder "…goes far beyond political games."

"Whoever did that," she pointed at the screen with barely contained rage, "is not feeling guilt or shame. Look, none of the victims is blindfolded…and look at the distribution. The damn bastard made a sophisticated setting just for this crime. He wanted that his victims looked at him while killing them and more than that….He wanted for them to see how he killed the ones they loved. He wanted them to see each other die."

After Fate finished, all the room was in silence. They were talking about the administrative intricacies of the case but were not analyzing the crime itself yet.

"What do you mean," Hayate asked sitting at the edge of her seat. Fate was damn good at her job, she was her best team leader for a reason and something was deeply bothering her; Hayate could see it clearly and didn´t like it.

"Look at distribution of the bodies," Fate said pointing at the image at the screen showing the four bodies at the house living room, "One at each cardinal point; according to the forensics the last one to die was Logan Alpine but the kind and magnitude of his wounds seems to indicate that our subject started his torture job with him. He made sure Logan Alpine´s death will be the one taking more time. The first ones to die were the twins. Mrs. Alpine died before than her husband but she certainly agonized enough to see him kill her sons and torture his husband."

After some seconds of tense silence, Hayate had to admit that Fate´s explanation was very plausible and they were dealing with a monster.

"This could be one of the worst cases we have ever faced, Colonel Yagami." Griffith being in charge of leading one of the three teams under Hayate´s command, was attending the meeting as an observer and counselor but had been tactful enough to remain silent until that time. "Fate is right, we need all the information we can gather. And all hunches aside that classified information might give us a clue. I really don´t think the Alpine family was just randomly selected. "

"No, randomness has nothing to do with this subject. There are too many questions and no answer but I am already horrified of what we already know," Fate said looking again at the screen. "This subject was cruel enough to do…this to this family but he also prepared it as the scenery of a theatrical presentation. And in addition to that, was cold and fearless enough to let a message inside the closet of a missing child, not just anywhere but there and for some depraved reason, he also left a potential witness."

Everybody remained in silence and was Fate again who broke it, addressing Hayate.

"Next time you talk with Director Carim, tell her that it might be a chance that this case and the kidnap of Alpine´s daughter could be related."

Hayate opened her eyes in surprise, "Fate, it would be extremely hastened to affirm that without proofs. A very risky, you know that."

"Yeah, I know," Fate agreed seriously, "It will make this case all more horrible, but I think we already have the certainty that we are dealing with a monster. Anything could be possible."

After assigning the pending task for everybody, Hayate headed to her mission on getting access to Vivio´s file. Fate together with Alto and Griffith would analyze the crime scene trying to establish the killer modus operandi; Shari , Lucino and Vice would search the database for everything available about the Alpine as well as any other case, remotely similar to the one they had in hands. Shamal went back to the research and medical facilities to monitor Vivio.

Signum and Zafira joined at some time in the dawn with the latest information of the crime scene.

Their only breakfast was the coffee they ordered early in the morning and all of them kept going on with their tasks until the sun was high on the clear and deep blue sky of Midchilda.

The city, unaware of the dark and decisive battle they were fighting against death, kept immutable with its bright life.

-X-

_**Midchildian University Suburbs 6:00 hrs**_

Nanoha woke up at the first ray of light as usual. She liked to get up early when her roommates were not even thinking about the possibility of opening their eyes. She prepared some juice or hot tea depending on the weather, sat in front of the large window of the apartment and enjoyed the sunrise.

They were few minutes of solace but for Nanoha, were wonderful. There she could think, plan, breath and listen to herself. She was not a solitary person, even when she spent a lot of time in solitude during her childhood but that changed since Arisa and Suzuka became her friends. She liked to be around her friends and people, but those few minutes in the morning, were her private space and she liked it that way.

That was one of those days that despite the coldness, she went out to the balcony. The cold air made her bristle but she stayed nonetheless, with her eyes closed feeling the cold on her skin and breathing deeply.

That was her favorite time of the day and she was not enjoying it as she should. The very first thought she had that morning was the crimson gaze of that agent that saved them last night. The second thought was the image of the same agent walking alone in the street in the middle of the night. And those thoughts were completely disconcerting.

"_Why am I thinking in a complete stranger?"_ she asked to herself trying to ease her restlessness.

Yes, it was hard to explain. She opened her eyes and found her herself shivering with cold and getting back to the warmness of the apartment. But again, while preparing some light breakfast and getting ready for her work at the university, the image of the blonde agent came back to her mind several times.

After recalling Arisa´s teasing, she thought that asking her phone probably wouldn´t have been a bad idea; or at least her name. After what she did for them, at least they should thank her…some way. Chocolates were a good choice for any woman.

While doing her hair absently in front of the mirror, she had a better idea, one of those exquisite cakes her mother baked at the restaurant. Maybe they could ask at the Bureau…

"_I am a complete stupid. And what I could ask? What is the name of the blonde agent that saved three idiots last night at the university suburb? Come on Nanoha, she was nice and decent, but the most likely is that you will never see her again…in your life."_

And for some reason, that thought caused her some weird feeling of dejection and sadness.

-X-

_**TSAB Headquarter, Unit Six Offices, Special Unit Against Violent Crimes , Midchilda, 13**__**th**__** Day **__**12**__**th**__** Month, 12:00 hrs.**_

After an intense working morning, no sleep, no breakfast and no breaks, Fate still felt they were not far beyond to the point they were ten hours ago. And still, they didn´t know what the next move will be.

That irked Fate to no end.

Reviewing the information again and again, they confirmed that the Alpine didn´t have any known enemies, they weren´t involved in any political o judicial issue, and with the notable exception of Lutecia´s kidnapping, nothing was out of the ordinary for a family like them.

After so many hours, Fate was frustrated. They didn´t have a single thread to follow. She was considering sending her team to the field again when Hayate came back to their quarters with news.

"Who is the best?" Hayate said sitting on her chair at the meeting room smiling triumphantly.

Fate only glared back at her friend and boss, "Did you get it?"

Hayate smiled like a cat, "Let´s say it was team work. Admiral Lindy helped me a lot…I offered her in retribution that you will call her back…very soon."

Fate nodded but she was significantly more interested into look at those files than having a call with her mother and was just about the threw herself into the information but a serious glare from Hayate stopped her.

"This is very unusual guys but… I have to make this point crystal clear for everybody," All her forces looked back at her intrigued, "Even when this information is instrumental for this case, remember how…sensitive it is. Its classification level has not changed, at all. WE, and I can´t emphasize that more, WE were authorized to SEE IT. And now is also our duty to protect its confidentiality. This," she added pointing at her device, "is extremely critical and sensitive data."

After saying that, Hayate stood up and synchronized her device with the screen. On the screen appeared the image of a young man with piercing and disquieting eyes. His eyes had different color, the right one has a deep shade of green and the left one, crimson very similar to Fate´s own eyes. Heterochromia iridium was not a common trait.

"Does anyone know who he is?" Hayate asked to her team.

All of them kept silent several seconds racking their brains. Fate felt that the man was familiar somehow but the specific memory eluded her.

"Doctor Sankt Kaiser?" Lucino guessed frowning a little bit as if she wasn´t entirely convinced.

"Precisely, good job Lucino," Hayate approved as a proud teacher. "Doctor Kaiser was a acknowledged researcher that about one hundred years ago fell from grace due some of his theories about… genetic improvement of humankind. You´ll see, the good doctor thought that is was not necessary to wait for a natural selection process when we could help Mother Nature a little bit. Or a lot more, in his case."

Then Fate remembered. It was a very old memory. She heard that name a lot of times, Sankt Kaiser, in the voice of her mother, Precia Testarossa, another acknowledged researcher.

"He was truly brilliant and a very young age he made some 'ethically questionable' experiments that killed his prestige and his job. That said work was so controversial that he was on trial but committed suicide before the final verdict. Death was preferably for him than abdicating his research and accept that it was wrong. He was barely thirty years old," Lucino added complementing Hayate´s explanation as the good pupil she was.

"How do you know all that?" Fate asked truly surprised. Lucino was brilliant but that exceeded all her expectations about the girl. The image at the screen was bothering her. Her mother mentioned that man several times but that image was not how she remembered him.

"When I was checking the Alpine family background, I noticed that before retiring from University, Megane Alpine was doing research about Doctor Kaiser´s work."

Then Hayate changed the image on the screen, "Well, seems that the public and available information about Kaiser was not completely accurate."

The image on screen was showing presumably the same man but at least forty years older than the first image they saw. Fate stood up by looking at him. That was the image she remembered with that name.

"Doctor Kaiser didn´t kill himself or died on the date indicated by the records," Hayate explained unblocking the information to synchronize with her team´s devices.

Doctor Kaiser´s research was controverted but it had a lot of interest for some people on the top sphere of power. Doctor Kaiser was offered with the devil´s alternative. He will be forgiven, he could keep working on his research but he will have to disappear and resign to all the citizen rights. He became, literally, a state prisoner. He didn´t exist.

"During several years, more than forty according the records, Kaiser kept with his research exclusively for the army forces, all of them tagged at Ultra-secret. At his final natural death, his main research was completed but the technological requirements to fulfill it were still not available."

As Hayate was speaking, Fate got closer to the image on the screen. A very bad feeling was starting to get shape inside her chest.

"Kaiser had his own personal army…of researchers, working with him on all his inventions and ideas. So, even when he died, his work kept under development led by several novel and brilliant researchers. So far, none of them succeeded until very recently."

The screen showed then the image of the little girl, Vivio.

"Vivio Kaiser synthetizes one of Doctor Kaiser´s main investigations: The creation of the perfect human being. To be more specific, not only _her_ file is classified; she is a classified subject."

"And what the hell does it mean a perfect human being'?" Fate asked with disdain. She detested research with any living being, including humans.

"Shamal will have to answer that question Fate. Have you read the information I just sent Shamal?"

The blonde doctor breathed deeply before explaining, "According to this file, the subject will have extraordinary levels of cellular regeneration, outstanding resistance to diseases and infections, an extremely high IQ, longevity rates way beyond normal…among other qualities," she ended vaguely.

"So, that little girl on our care is all that?" All of that was very interested, but Fate wanted more to move on the case they had on their lap.

"No, the tests we ran indicate Vivio is a normal and regular girl," Shamal said looking worriedly at her screen device, "With the only exception that she is an exact genetic replica of Doctor Kaiser."

"She is like Doctor Kaiser´s daughter?" Signum asked fighting boredom. All that science stuff was very fine and good but she wondered when they could start working and find the bastard who killed the Alpine. As Fate, she was eager to start with the real job.

"Well, no. She is a clone of Doctor Kaiser," Shamal concluded leaving everybody but Hayate openmouthed.

"And our government…allowed that monstrosity to happen?" Fate rhetorically asked since she already knew the answer.

"WE…" Hayate stressed, "not only allowed it, we financed it during decades. And of course, this information cannot become public in any way. That way that was used to…devise Vivio, is considered state secret."

All that could be secret but there were questions that shall be answered, one way or another.

"Was Megane Alpine part of those researchers working on Vivio´s project?" Fate asked out of the blue, visibly upset to have to use that paraphrasing.

"Yes, however she was not the Chief Researcher. The project leader was Doctor Jail Scaglietti. In fact, Doctor Scaglietti still does research for the Defense Department but his work is no longer classified. He was also on charge of following up Vivio´s progress. Actually he is the Chief Researcher for Midchilda University," Hayate pointed out in equally direct way.

"So it is almost one hundred percent sure that Megane Alpine was aware of Vivio´s origins but" Vice moved ahead knowing where Fate was going. "Do we know if her husband also knew?"

Hayate had to look at the file but Lucino did it faster than her and answered Vice, "According to the information Megane Alpine and Doctor Scaglietti were the only ones aware of that. Vivio was under supervision of Scaglietti and his team and for all purposes, for everybody, she is a normal girl. The fact that she could grow up normally is part of the requirements of the…experiment."

Fate tried to ignore that fact and quickly gained control of the situation assigning tasks and duties. Aside of Vivio´s origins, they had a killer to catch. "So, now we have that information, we have to look deep into that. Everyone, remove that info from your devices. Lucino will keep a protected copy in here and we all send all the info we gather to her. Vice, stay with Lucino here at the office analyzing the scenarios under this new light."

After sharing a quick understanding gaze with Hayate that just nodded slightly, Fate continued giving instructions. They have known each other for so many years that many times they didn´t need to speak loudly to know what the other was thinking.

"Signum and Shamal will come with me to Midchilda University. I have to get a word with Doctor Scaglietti. If he was on charge of supervising the girl, we need his support. And we also need to know what he knows."

Signum and Zafira were the only ones standing up, waiting and always ready for the action and exactly that was what they were waiting for.

"Zafira, you will go back at the scene. Make some discreet interviews extending the area that was covered last night and this morning, ask for the street video recordings. Maybe the Nakajimas can give us a hand with that," the big guy nodded slightly exactly like Signum did. He was a master hunter, if the killer let any left trace for small it was, he will find it.

Shari and Griffith regularly worked directly with Hayate, and she offered herself to make contact with Regius Gaiz and try to get information about Lutecia´s kidnapping. Even if it was just a hunch, they still couldn´t discard any possibility. Regious Gaiz will hate the idea and probably that´s why Hayate was so eager to undertake the job.

"Alto," Fate called at the serious and efficient girl, "I have an special task for you and Hayate…Alto might need your help with this one."

Hayate frowned at Fate a little bit.

"Well, I know how this will sound but without making any assumptions, let's just take a look, ok?" Hayate didn´t like it that much preliminary before of Fate´s request. "I want Alto checking whom had been the researchers working with Doctor Kaiser´s theories and what´s their current status."

Hayate sounded almost scandalized, "Fate!...Kaiser investigations were and still are, classified. Why in the name of God, do you want us to get into that?"

"I know," Fate said reassuringly, "And I don´t to know about the investigations. Trust me is the last thing I wanna know. I would like to know the names of the people that had worked of them and what is their current status. Knowing what is going up with them. That´s it."

"And…_why_ do you want to know that?" Hayate asked innocently, knowing that she will like the answer even less than the request.

Fate breathed deeply, she wanted to draw the reason convincingly enough while at the same time, prayed to be wrong with her hunch.

"I have a bad feeling about this Hayate, probably it is not very rational and I cannot give you a plausible reason right now but what I really want to know is… if any other persons related with Kaiser´s investigations have died due to…unnatural causes."

"Like murdered?" Hayate asked dryly.

"As a possibility, yes" Fate accepted.

The two women stared mutually at the other. Hayate knew something was bothering Fate badly regarding that case and also knew she had to speak with her friend soon. And Fate knew what Hayate was thinking and the last thing she wanted was talk with _anybody _about her personal ghosts but at the present time, both of them had a job to do. And Hayate had to make the decision.

Unfortunate or unfortunately, Fate rarely was mistaken…even with the hunches.

"Ok," Hayate conceded dead serious, "I will help Alto with that task," and before Fate could smile, "BUT tonight…we have to talk."

-X-

_**Midchilda University, Neurosciences and Applied Sciences Building. 13:00 hrs.**_

Nanoha finished her lunch relatively early that afternoon but as many other times, she stayed with Arisa and Suzuka at the Literature Department where her friends were doing their master's degree a little longer than she should; and because of that, she was currently running like hunted by demons (something she knew she shouldn´t) across the Neuroscience's aisles, her untarnished white lab robe rippling behind her at her speed.

On her frenetic race, she had a very brief thought about the blessing it was that area was almost deserted all the time.

Keyword there being 'Almost.'

Her positive line of thinking was abruptly interrupted when after a sharp turn that she took brilliantly without speeding down at all; she violently collided with the person that was walking decidedly from the opposite direction.

The impact was so sudden and so strong that none of them could avoid to finish sprawled not very elegantly on the floor.

"Ouch," was the only expression Nanoha could articulate as her hand massaged her forehead where she felt a pang. Her head impacted against something equally hard. Trying to recover and at the same time to get up in her feet again, her eyes met with a somehow familiar crimson gaze. Maybe because that gaze had occupied a lot of her thoughts that morning.

Fate, who ended up below Nanoha´s body was on a similar task of getting on her feet and massaging her chin where Nanoha´s head impacted leaving a red mark on her white skin.

The fact that both of them were trying to both so many things at the same time wasn´t really the best idea since ended up getting in each other's way. When their eyes meet, both of them froze looking astonished to the other.

"Do you need help Fate?"

Signum steady voice took both women out of their astonishment, making them to reject the offer with perfect synchronization. The same synchronization didn´t work that well when they tried at the same time and too fast to get up from their precarious situation. Nanoha´s hand that was just barely keeping her away from Fate´s body slid and she fell again crushing the blonde beneath her.

"Oh!...Wait, wait, here, let me help you out a bit," Shamal gently intervened, helping the redhead who could finally stand up.

Fate had to get up on her own means because Signum was just looking at her calmly with her arms crossed over her chest and no intention to help.

"You said you didn´t want help," Signum shrugged answering Fate´s slightly upbraided gaze.

In the meantime, Shamal was taking a quick look on Nanoha´s forehead that was already showing a bump.

"Oh…I… I am very sorry," Nanoha could finally articulate, all blushed and troubled. It was a shame enough that she ran over someone in her hurry but she was additionally stirred up that is was precisely THAT person, the same she was sure she will never see again in her life.

Fate on her side was fixing her uniform, equally surprised after recalling who that girl was. _"What the hell was she doing running like hell here?"_

The true fact was that she got caught by those piercing blue eyes and she didn´t like the feeling. And she reacted accordingly.

"I didn´t know running like that was allowed in a Research facility," she commented a bit angrily as a response to Nanoha´s apology.

"Fate!" Shamal exclaimed with surprise. Her boss was naturally gentle, serious but gentle, and that sullen and rude comment was not usual on her.

"There is no signal forbidding running either," Signum said slightly amused looking at the walls around there. Shamal glared at her. Those comments were not helping their present situation.

Fate´s comment only increased Nanoha´s discomfort.

"Errr…I….no, it's not forbidden or not…No what I mean, I know it was not…Hell,…I am really sorry," she said looking at Fate with those piercing eyes causing the Enforcer to feel like a rat for disturbing her like that, "Look, I know it's not appropriate to run that way but I was delayed and Doctor Scaglietti is very strict about schedules and I just want to be on time…"

"What did you say?" At Scaglietti´s mention Fate got closer to Nanoha and took her by the arm in a way that wasn´t probably politically appropriated for the moment.

Nanoha looked at the hand at her arm disconcerted unsure of whether answering the blonde´s question or releasing herself from Fate´s grabbing.

"Hey, I understand that what I did it wrong, ok? I understand that you might be angry but don´t you think you are overreacting a little bit?" she asked looking alternatively at Fate and her arm. Everything was so chaotic that she even forgot to address the agent formally as it was proper.

"Fate," Shamal intervened again taking Fate by the arm, pulling her away of the redhead. "Wait a little bit, please." And then smiling charmingly took control of the mess. "All this has been very sudden, I will suggest that everybody takes a deep breath and introduce ourselves properly. This was really an unexpected meeting Miss…"

"Takamachi, Nanoha Takamachi, Neuroscientist Research Assistant" Nanoha hurried herself to answer a bit nervously. She was asking Shamal question but was looking at Fate, who finally released her and was standing aside Shamal, all cool and serious.

"Very nice to meet you Miss Takamachi!" Shamal said cheerfully, "We all are TSAB special agents. I am Shamal Yagami," and after a small head inclination, she introduced her companions, "Lieutenant Signum Yagami…" Signum made an insignificant nodding as greeting, "And Deputy Enforcer Fate Testarossa."

Fate didn´t make the slightest effort to nod.

"_Fate,"_ Nanoha thought not very sure about what was still important for her, _"Her name is Fate."_

"Now about Doctor Scaglietti that you mentioned about…" Shamal purposely let the phrase hanging up for Nanoha to fulfill it.

"Yes, I was saying that he doesn't like at all that his assistants got delayed, by any reason…In fact, he gets very mad when that happen…" Suddenly the young woman realized that was exactly the situation she was into, "Christ. Sake….Damnit, IT´S SO LATE! He will be damn mad at me…"

And with that she almost started her frenetic race again.

"Wait," Fate ordered grabbing at her by her arm, effectively stopping her at the spot.

"Do you have this nasty habit with all people you have just met?" Nanoha said between amazement and annoyance due the agent behavior. This time and against her proper manners, she released her arm with a decisive move. "I have apologized, now I really have to go."

"We haven´t just met," Fate corrected. "We met last night."

Shamal and Signum looked at each other curiously. None of them were aware of Fate´s little incursion from previous night.

"Well, as if we had," Nanoha clarified angrily forgetting about the time again at the heat of her talking with Fate, "Yesterday you didn´t have the courtesy to introduce yourself. If Agent Yagami wouldn´t have insisted…"

"I just had the courtesy to save you and your friends from a bunch of delinquents," Fate counterattacked, crossing her arms and staring at Nanoha defiantly.

"You don´t know for sure if they were going to harm us, you just landed there and arrested them like a damn robocop. You didn´t even ask us what was going on. And now I understand why…" Nanoha argued back with equivalent defiance shining in her eyes.

"Of course they were going to attack you!" Fate said exasperated stepping closer Nanoha, "It amazing that you girls were that reckless and did not call the police. You were behaving like sloppy adolescents!"

"Hey…you can´t judge us like that!"

"Fate….Miss Takamachi…Could you…guys…" Shamal intends to get their attention were repeatedly unsuccessful while Signum just kept looking at the show with amusement barely trying to hide a roguish smile. That was really a new facet in the regularly cold minded Enforcer Testarossa.

Desperate times called for desperate measurements, so after getting tired of being ignored in the little war argument those two had and noticing that Fate was again, dangerously close of the redhead researcher; Shamal grabbed the Enforcer firmly by the arm and pulled her back like one will do with a big dog that´s being too intrusive.

For that time, Signum was not even trying to hide the smile.

"Please!...Maybe we can talk about the _incident_ you mention and clarify the issues…later, (very later)…ok?" she offered smiling but glaring menacingly at Fate. "Miss Takamachi…I am not aware of the situation but I am sure Agent Testarossa´s _main_ concern, was your safety. Now, _we_ understand you hurry and deeply apologize to delay you even more, but we also want to talk with Doctor Scaglietti. So if it is possible…"

With the discussion between Nanoha and Fate none of them noticed that a distant presence was since some minutes ago looking attentively at them until a deep and stilted voice cut Shamal at that very moment.

"And might I ask, who the hell you are and why are you delaying my assistant"?

Nanoha shrank and shrugged thinking _"Shit"_ while the other three women turned to face a tall, long haired man with enigmatic golden eyes.

They didn´t need to check the data in their devices to know that he was Doctor Jail Scaglietti in the very flesh.

-X-

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><p>Thanks everybody for your comments.<p> 


	3. The Past is Back

Thanks to everybody for your reviews and sorry for the delay in answer you guys and updating the fic. To Zona Rose, the original version in spanish had 21 chapters. Some of them will be a bit different in english but so far should be the same amount or at least, one or two chapters more.

This chapter was somehow hard to translate and adjust to English, however I hope the upcoming ones will be easier. I lost a huge motivator for this story, my muse and beta reader…so please have my apologies in advance for any mistakes on the story. There will be probably a lot more than in the previous one. I will do my best to improve but I decided to publish this chapter now, for two reasons.

First one: Today is the **International Day for the elimination of Violence against Women**. Sadly as it is, Google, who "celebrate" many other important days, doesn´t even care for this one. Very few media tell about it. I wanted to publish to today to join and commemorate (not celebrate) this day that has been designated by the UN to create awareness of the gender violence. In Mexico City, where I live with other 23 million people, every 8 hours a woman is murdered and every 7 minutes a woman is raped. And the ones doing these crimes are not 'serial killers' like the one portrayed in this fic, but husbands, boyfriends and/or other male relatives that should be the one taking care and protecting there. And of course, the society in which we live and allow that crimes to happen and remain unpunished. Please, in whatever country you are, be aware of this day, find information about it and add yourself to the effort for preventing all kind of violence against women.

Second reason: Is a bit more lighthearted…I didn´t want to keep you guys waiting.

This story is kindly and heart fully dedicated to Rogue Devlin. Because I miss her really bad.

-X-

**WARNING:** This Fic is **Fate-Nanoha** and it is rated **M** for strong or violent content and sexual encounters between two females. If this kind of content offends you in any way, if you are easily upset by explicit violent or sexual scenes or if you don´t have the age for reading M content, please don´t read.

**DISCLAIMER:** Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha´s characters belong to their authors. Plot belongs to Aleksei Volken & Galadan. All the characters and situations described in this fic are fictional. Any similarity with real people or situation is not intentional and purely coincidental.

Today´s soundtrack is "The sound of Silence" by Atrocity, Wreck the 80s

* * *

><p>"<strong>El Legado" <strong>por Aleksei Volken & Galadan

**The Legacy** (English Version by Aleksei Volken)

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 3.<strong> **The past is back.**

_Hello darkness, my old friend  
>I've come to talk with you again<br>Because a vision softly creeping  
>Left its seeds while I was sleeping<br>And the vision that was planted in my brain  
>Still remains<br>Within the sound of silence_

-X-

_**Midchilda University, Neurosciences and Applied Sciences Building, 13**__**th**__** Day **__**12**__**th**__** Month 15:30 hrs**_

Dr. Jail Scaglietti kept his eyes wandering between the three women sitting in front of him, listening in silence Fate´s explanations about their sudden and unannounced visit to him.

Despite the fact the three women introduced themselves as TSAB agents, he still took several minutes to severely scold Nanoha for her delay. It was until he seemed to be satisfied with the scolding that he escorted the agents to his office.

All the time, Fate couldn´t help but feeling guilty by seeing Scaglietti preaching at redhead girl since she was even more delayed due the discussion she was having with her. _"But she insisted on the topic!" _Fate thought in her own defense but nonetheless, she was considering if she should apologize with the young woman later.

Scaglietti´s lab has no solid wall. With the exception of the structural walls of the building, everything else inside the lab was built with transparent panels, including his "private" office which was constructed on the four sides with that transparent material and kept elevated from the regular floor level creating the weird feeling of floating in the middle of the lab.

By seeing Fate looking intrigued at the setting, he only said, "This way I can keep an eye on everything at the same time."

Scaglietti was no longer working on classified projects however his assistants still required a special permit and security clearances to be able to work for him. That particular way to have his lab definitely gave him a way to keep a vigilant eye over everything the assistants were doing.

"_And over his assistants,"_ Fate thought with disgust since she noticed that Nanoha Takamachi was not the only woman working for Scaglietti and not the only pretty one. The thought made Fate to scold herself, the last thing she should be thinking in those circumstances was who was or not pretty.

Scaglietti listened in silence the news about the Alpine´s murder, about Vivio now in TSAB custody and the reason why Section Six was requiring his collaboration. His face remained calmed but several emotions crossed across as Fate was speaking and never interrupted the agent.

Fate took special care in not providing more information than the necessary for the incident; she already knew Scaglietti worked with confidential information but until they knew how much he was or not involved, she didn´t want any risk.

"…So Doctor, our Unit has been cleared to have some details on the investigation you were leading about…Vivio Kaiser and we will appreciate your collaboration on this case."

Scaglietti kept her eyes fixed on Fate and remained in silence even after she finished her sentence. Then he shoot, "You basically have no idea about who murder Logan, Megane and their family, right?"

Fate tightened her teeth, trying to keep the face still. The man was an insolent.

"Currently," she answered coldly, "we are following several investigation lines Doctor. If your 'comment' allude at the fact that we still don´t have a suspect, the answer is no; we don´t have a suspect…yet."

Scaglietti nodded, "I understand your position Enforcer Testarossa, please understand mine. Mega Alpine was no only my colleague, but my friend. Just knowing about…her death…like this…If there is something I can do to help without compromising the confidentiality of my project…I will do it."

Fate inhaled deeply. As much as she disliked the man and the situation they were into, she had to acknowledge he was right.

"Thanks Doctor," she said focusing on what they needed from the man, "First, we will need you to come with us at TSAB headquarter. There are few more questions we have for you and if we require any additional clearances, we can work easier on them from there." Fate was thinking that Hayate will have more work dealing with Mr. Scaglietti than she already had.

"Secondly, we will need your assistance with little Vivio. As Agent Yagami was explaining before," Fate said nodding at Shamal, "the girl is in a deep shock. And we need her help. There is a small chance that she might have actually seen the killer."

Scaglietti nodded his agreement. "Of course, you can have my collaboration in both topics, Agent Testarossa, however for the second task; I may need some additional help."

Fate frowned. "What you mean Doctor?"

"Well, you´ll see…little Vivio is in fact, a classified subject. However part of the…research," Scaglietti chose the word carefully noticing how much Fate disliked the word 'experiment', "Vivio should grow up the closest possible as normal girl on her age. That was one of the reasons why Megane took care of her. In addition to that, one of my lab assistants was working directly with her, under my supervision of course; but it was important that she could build up bonds with other people as part of her development. We wanted her to have the closest possible to a normal life."

"_What a normal life the poor girl is having,"_ Fate thought.

"And this assistant you mention, aware about the girl…particularities?" Signum asked always right into the point.

"God, no!" Scaglietti answered, gesticulating ostentatiously. "My assistant only knows that Vivio is a special subject and that we are treating her per her legal tutors request. Vivio required some special test and this person was providing special neuropsychological treatment."

Fate kept silent pondering Scaglietti´s words.

"I am sorry Doctor, but we cannot involve an external person on this case," she denied after a while.

"I am the first to understand your reticence, Enforcer; bur consider that this person doesn´t have to know about the classified details. I am the last one wanting that. You have said that the details of my investigation are not of your interest but catching the killer. My assistant will help me with Vivio´s treatment."

Fate hesitated and finally decided it was not her call to make that decision. At the end, she will need Hayate´s authorization in any scenario.

"Who is this person, Doctor Scaglietti? Who have the clearance to get into TSAB offices but I will need an special authorization for any other person." Fate didn´t mention that whoever this person was, Alto and her team will check everything on his background before he could lay a foot on Unit Six.

Scaglietti smiled knowingly and pulling his device out of his pocket offered it to Fate to starting sharing information. Fate allowed the connection with Scaglietti's device, left the information on the public sector her device before cutting the connection and check it on the screen.

Two seconds after, a very attractive redhead with piercing blue eyes was smiling at her from her screen. Fate gulped before making the question.

"Is she…the assistant…you want helping you?"

"Precisely," Scaglietti said smiling proudly. "Doctor Nanoha Takamachi is one of the most brilliant young researchers on neurosciences and neuropsychology."

Fate looked at him in disbelief and asked again, "And you want HER to help you… with this?"

Signum´s lip curved up almost imperceptibly, but Shamal knew that was a smile and looked alternatively at her and Fate with disproval.

"Miss Takamachi might have a temperament but let that…feature…of her personality cheat on you Enforcer Testarossa," Scaglietti said cryptically, "She is a brilliant researcher, very professional and more important; she had a wonderful relationship with Vivio. The one that really can help the girl is definitely her and not me."

Fate considered Scaglietti´s word carefully, looked at her subordinates who nodded their agreement and stood up and called Hayate to request and special authorization pass for Nanoha Takamachi.

-X-

"Do you mean…like NOW, Doctor?" Nanoha asked frowning and looking at the watch. Her shift ended at five p.m. and it was four fifty when Scaglietti was telling her that they will have to go with the TSAB agents…somewhere.

"Now, Dr. Takamachi. Please leave that with someone else, we have to leave right now."

All the time Scaglietti had the meeting with the TSAB Agents, Nanoha kept an eye on what they were doing inside, even if that was no really that much. They were basically sitting on Scaglietti´s desk talking…and talking.

However, Nanoha found herself watching intensely at the tall and blonde Enforcer, Fate Testarossa; she was so distracted looking at the way the sun fell upon her making the golden mane look more…golden…that Fate almost caught her staring when suddednly stood up to make a call and looked at her direction. Nanoha pretended to be very busy doing something but felt the blush warming her face. Fate´s movement was unexpected that she was sure the Enforcer looked at her directly in the eyes through the transparent walls.

Nanoha´s surprise just grew when Scaglietti announced that they will go with them at the TSAB headquarters.

So, in that very moment, Nanoha was sitting in a TSAB official vehicle between agents Shamal and Signum doing her best to not look too much at Enforcer Testarossa, who was sitting just in front of her with Scaglietti. The vehicle was a big SUV very spacious and comfortable in the inside and with the seats located facing each other so the passengers could talk easily.

That functional distribution however, was putting Nanoha on the hard situation to avoid staring too much at Fate. The tall agent, wearing a black uniform from toe to head, elegant but practical boots and gloves on the same color…looked just imposing. With the boots, she was almost as tall as Doctor Scaglietti and her golden hair made a deep contrast with her attire. Nanoha never saw other people who look as great in black as Agent Testarossa managed to look. An her eyes, with that unique red dye were so deep and piercing that Nanoha felt almost physically touched every time those eyes fell on her.

Since their argument on the lab aisle, Fate didn´t talked her and anytime their gazes meet, Nanoha found an icy glare.

Despite her cool attitude, the trip back to TSAB offices was not getting any easier for Fate. There, in the closed and small space of the car, she was finding very hard not to stare at the auburn hair researcher. Sitting in between Shamal and Signum dressing in black like her, Nanoha´s white robe was just shinning with the dying light on the sunset. Even with the long robe, Fate could perceive the woman voluptuous body behind the fabric. Maybe she was a brilliant academic but surely Scaglietti took into account her other attributes as well.

While both women did their best to not be too obvious looking at the other, Scaglietti oblivious of the situation or at least pretending to be, was explaining Nanoha the role they would play collaborating with TSAB.

Nanoha was also pretending to listen at him, lost in her inner thoughts about Agent Testarossa. She didn´t mean to be disrespectful with her but the blonde agent just drove her mad with her attitude. The beautiful doctor was sure they had a similar age but Fate behaved like someone much older. Almost as the other agent, the oldest of the three…Signum…distant and cold, but in addition to that Fate was also rude and stubborn…granted, she was also stubborn but Fate could at least listen at her. That morning when she couldn´t stop thinking about the agent, Nanoha never thought she could be like that…she only wanted to give her thankfulness …and know her name.

Sighing discretely, Nanoha tried for umpteenth time to focus on Scaglietti explanation, all she could heard was an incoherent noise until her brain caught the words 'help' and 'Vivio' on the same sentence.

"Vivio?"

Then Nanoha´s attention was one hundred percent focused on Jail.

"What´s going on with Vivio?" she asked a bit frantically.

Fate arched a brow on her reaction. Apparently the researcher did really care about the little girl. Hayate told her that she will make her final decision regarding Nanoha possible collaboration with them once she met with the researcher and had a talk with her. A first time access was authorized for Nanoha in the meantime. Doctor Scaglietti, very succinctly, only told Nanoha that he needed her support to help Vivio with a 'tough transition' and the redhead jumped immediately on her seat demanding to know more.

"There is not too much we can inform you right now," Fate said getting ahead of whatever Scaglietti was going to say, "Our superior office, Colonel Yagami with have an interview with you and will provide the details."

"But, is Vivio fine?" Nanoha insisted with a plea on her eyes.

Fate felt her hearth shrugging at Nanoha´s sincere concern for the girl, she was also very concerned for her, and mainly after the kind of crime scene she saw the previous night. She was about to soften her position towards the researcher but Shamal intervened before.

Taking Nanoha´s hand, the blonde doctor told her gently, "I understand you are worried Nanoha, but please be patient. All of us," Shamal said making emphasis on the word 'All' looking at Fate, "are worried for Vivio´s wellbeing. That´s the very reason you are here, so please just wait a little bit more. Our boss will explain you everything you need to know."

Nanoha nodded squeezed Shamal´s hand in response and then looked a bit angrily at Fate.

"Couldn´t you have said the same…Enforcer Testarossa? Couldn´t you said that you were also concerned by Vivio instead of that insensitive and…coarse answer?"

Fate looked at Nanoha with surprise and went back into defensive mode at her words. "I am trying to do my job in the best possible and efficient way miss Takamachi. I am not here to be worried but to solve and that´s what I am doing."

"I didn´t say you were coarse, Enforcer," Nanoha said still angry and getting into a new gaze´s duel with Fate, "I say your answer was. Do you really need to do that to do your job?"

"Nanoha," Scaglietti scold her with a grimace. "As Agent Shamal had said, we are all worried. No need to argue about that. We all…have to calm down until we talk with Colonel Yagami."

The rest of the trip was done in a tense silence between Nanoha and Fate despite Shamal efforts to ease the ambience and have a civilized conversation. Happily for everyone they reached TSAB office and Nanoha could see the imposing facility by indoors for first time in her life.

TSAB campus had several tall buildings and all of them were surrounded by well cared extension of grass and trees. It looked very calmed. On the exterior.

Getting out of the car, while Fate took the lead with Scaglietti and Shamal for the registering process, Shamal took advantage of that time to grab Signum by her uniform´s collar and demand her.

"Thank you so much for your inexistent help Signum Yagami," the blonde said staring at her older sister.

Signum remained undeterred. "I don´t know why are you so angry with me Shamal. Testarossa´s behavior is unrecognizable and atypical. This case must be really affecting her because I have never seen her like that."

"That is not a reason for not helping!" Shamal insisted, poking Signum´s shoulder insistently with all her strength. Signum didn´t move an inch.

"And what I could do? Testarossa is not a child but she is our boss… by the way," the tall woman said crossing her arms on her chest. Shamal was taking the issue too seriously.

"Ahhhh!...you are impossible Signum, do you know that?" then Shamal turned to leave but then thought better and turn back for one final scolding, "No, you know…you are not just impossible and insensitive and coarse…you are even more idiot than Fate."

Signum wanted to ask why she deserved those adjectives and why Shamal was so sure about them, but her sister left before she could even open her mouth.

"What did you do this time?" Zafira asked showing up at that very moment from his field task to listen the argument between his sisters.

"It wasn´t me, it was Testarossa´s fault."

"Well, I heard Shamal damn mad…with you," the big man pointed looking down at her.

"Testarossa´s fault. Maybe she is mad with both of us but this one is on her."

After saying that, Signum walked ahead their building main entrance.

Zafira suspected that Signum´s mind was not exactly correct about her assumptions but it was not much he could do about it. She would have to notice… by herself.

-X-

_**TSAB Headquarter, Unit Six Offices, Special Unit Against Violent Crimes, Midchilda, 13**__**th**__** Day **__**12**__**th**__** Month, 20:00 hrs.**_

Hayate had a private meeting with Dr. Scaglietti and his assistant for over two hours.

Fate didn´t know exactly how much they found about Takamachi on their database but during that time she was too busy catching up with her agents' reports and giving them new instructions, to bother herself asking for that; besides, the only thing she wanted was to stop thinking about the woman.

Because of that lack of information, she was the first one to be shocked by the sight of Scaglietti AND Nanoha walking into the Unit Sixth main meeting room for their group team meeting…where they were going to discuss about the murder case.

"Hi everybody," Hayate greeted closely followed by Griffith, Alto, Scaglietti and Nanoha, "If someone doesn´t know them before, let me introduce Doctor Jail Scaglietti and Doctor Nanoha Takamachi. Both of them are renowned researchers from MidU and will assist us with some issues of the investigation we are running here."

Hayate introduced then her team members for Scaglietti and Nanoha. At Fate´s turn, she took advantage of the moment to ask Hayate a word…in private with her.

"What the hell was that?" she asked when they barely got out of the room.

"An introduction?" Hayate answered arching her brows. Fate´s unpleasantness was evident but Hayate wanted to dig a bit more on her friend reasons before to acknowledge it. TSAB best Enforcer was famous for a kindness that bordered gentlemanliness, seeing Fate behaving coarsely and rudely was not common. Hayate knew they had more that forty-eighth hours working in a row and in a hell of a case but she suspected that Fate´s angriness had a deeper origin than just tiredness or concern.

"Hayate…" Fate said inspiring and trying to calm down; thinking that Hayate was her boss but also her friend since childhood. They cared and loved each other. She repeated to herself that she cannot strangle her there at the office. "What I mean, is what do you pretending carrying on those two at our 'internal' work meeting?"

"Ah…that is much clearer Fate," Hayate pointed smiling yet trying to hide her concern. Fate´s gaze was telling her that her friend really wanted to strangle her at that very moment. That was not exactly the best scenario to tell Fate what she had to tell her.

Knowing the blonde, Hayate decided that the direct and bold approach was the best strategy. All the pain at once, that worked with Fate.

"I asked them to assist us with some…topics…of our current investigation of the Alpine´s murder and Vivio´s situation. They will be external consultants. Shari and Rein are already taking care of the paper work.

"What? You can´t be serious Hayate. Even if Scaglietti HAD Army clearance´s, TSAB is not the Army. Besides…that girl!...We don´t know if we can trust her, we don´t know what experience and background she has…How…"

"Fate…Calm…Down," Hayate said while Fate walked around her, surprise and disbelief in her visage. The Enforcer couldn´t believe that Hayate decided that without even a word with her before. But Hayate already expected that thought from her friend.

"Fate, I didn´t ask your advice or your opinion because the case…our case, has grown up a lot more that we imagined since this morning."

That fixed Fate right on the spot. The blonde suddednly cooled off and stared back a Hayate.

"What happened?"

Hayate wished this could be easier but it was what it was.

"Do you remember about your hunch?" Hayate said and it was no humor and kindness in her eyes. That always put a knot in Fate´s stomach.

Fate steeled herself and asked, "How many?"

"From the thirteen Chief researched that have lead Sankt Kaiser projects…seven have been murdered."

Fate was shocked. She didn´t want to make the next questions but she just had to make it. Hayate also knew that and saved Fate the effort.

"With their families. Just as the Alpine were."

Fate held her head. That was too much and too terrible to assimilate. She deeply regretted that she was right…from the beginning.

Instead of voicing her feelings, she asked, "How is possible that nobody make a connection between the…incidents?"

"That´s something we will have to figure out for sue, but what I can tell you know is that there is no common MO. Several years passed between incidents, they took place in very different locations and all the previous cases were handled by the local police departments. The researcher didn´t have personal relationships among them, they only knew each other due work issues and their job in the government projects ended long time ago."

Tastelessness as it could be, Hayate admitted, "Simply…nobody suspected anything before Fate…until now."

"God, Hayate…seven…¿Seven families and nobody noticed?"

Hayate could understand Fate´s shock. She felt the same when was informed. She hated that they had precisely that case, hated to see Fate like that and hated what she had to tell her next.

"There is something more Fate," her friend looked back at her, "When your mother and sister were…murdered. Precia was Chief Researcher for the military on one of Sank Kaiser´s projects."

Fate somehow suspected that Hayate had something thought to tell her but never imagined this case could touch her so deeply.

"Do you mean…?"

Hayate nodded sadly, "We need to confirm that but you will see it on the reports so I wanted to tell you first. If this hypothesis is right, probably the murder of your family…was the first one."

Fate laid on the cold wall and closed her eyes.

It was long ago since she allowed the memories to reach her.

_A small little girl was curling up at the closets. It was dark but Alicia always found her and she was sure this time she wouldn´t. They were at the gigantic lab of their mother. She always told them not to play in certain areas, that it was dangerous for little girls like them. But they always did it again. Her eldest sister, Alicia always took the worse part for Fate´s antics._

_This time Fate was sure her mother wouldn´t caught them. _

_She stayed there in silence. From her position she heard her mother voice, she sounded angry and Fate regretted her previous confidence. Her mother caught them and was surely, reprimanding Alicia. Fate thought about getting out and defends her sister at least one single time but she was also afraid of their mother angriness. _

_Her mother voice was getting higher and higher and in the middle of the darkness, she covered her eyes and snuggled a bit more. "Alicia…I have to be strong and take care of Alicia" she said, "I have to save Alicia."_

_Several hours after, the police found the little blonde girl embracing her mother and sister dead bodies in the middle of a bloodstained laboratory with Alicia and Precia´s blood._

"I could not save Alicia," Fate whispered opening her eyes.

"_Fuck the damn protocol,"_ Hayate thought before throwing herself toward Fate embracing her in a tightened hug.

Slowly at the beginning but Fate returned the hug.

After a couple of minutes, Hayate released Fate a bit…but just a bit. Enough to caress Fate´s cheek with her hand assuring her, "We have to be strong Fate. I know this is not easy…but you are not alone. We are into this together."

Fate tightened her holding in her friend waist and asked, "Is there anything more I have to know?"

Before Hayate could answer Fate´s request, a slightly amused masculine voice addressed them.

"Wow girls! So, your relationship is now official? Perhaps the office aisle is not the best place to confess yourselves but you guys took your time!…I am very happy…"

"Verossa," Hayate said releasing Fate and turning to look at her second most talented agent after Fate with glance that could froze hell, "You are the one in the wrong place."

"But you called me at the main meeting room my dear Colonel Yagami," Verossa answered immutable, saluting formally but with a grin dancing on his lips.

"Twenty minutes ago Verossa. You should be inside that room long time ago."

At the scolding, the man just raised his hands in front of him as a signal of surrender and peace and walked stealthily to the meeting room leaving the friends alone with their businesses.

Fate y Hayate remained in silence until Verossa disappeared into the room. Before Hayate could say a word Fate talked decidedly.

"Don´t even think it Hayate."

Hayate tried to touch Fate shoulder but she grabbed her hand in the air.

"No…I won´t accept it. I know why you called Verossa but I am not leaving this investigation by any reason. I will go as far as is needed but I won´t let it go, Hayate. You cannot push me aside."

Hayate scrutinized Fate, she could see the tiredness, the pain, but she also could see a fierce determination.

"I imagine you would say something like that," Hayate admitted after a while and then looked at the gloved hand that was holding hers. Fate relaxed and released her friend. "Thank you my dear," Hayate said smiling.

"I am not going to push you away of the case Fate….however; you have to admit this is not a normal situation."

Hayate explained what happened after Alto got the researchers list and one murder after other showed up into the light. When they had the final number, Hayate had to go with the Special Unit Director, Carim Gracia and with the head of the whole section, Admiral Lindy Harlaown. Carim thought the best course of action was taking Fate out of the case since she was too involved.

But Hayate argued that the case was too big just for any agent working alone. It was Fate´s hunch the only reason they knew how big the situation was and Fate had put on table other theories that proved certain, will make a hell of a case for anyone…or more precisely, for everybody.

The second of Fate´s theories was that Lutecia Alpine´s kidnapping was also related with the murder of her family. The other possibility was that the murder was related with Megane´s job with the Army.

Any scenario was equally overwhelming.

By itself, the confirmation that someone was killing scientist working at classified defense project at least during the last twenty years was overwhelming.

"So, I managed to convince Carim that I will be the official investigation lead and you, will be the official agent in charge. Griffith and Verossa with their team with play as tactical support."

"Meaning that we will be all involved on this," Fate said resignedly.

Hayate nodded. "This is just too big Fate. We have be thankful that we are still on charge and that they didn´t take the case and handed it to Section Nine. When Gaiz knew about this he will be damn furious but Admiral Lindy supports us. She also told me that she will manage to grant us Admiral Graham support."

"I guess your tutor has already all the information he needs, right?" Fate said smiling for the first time on the day.

"Just a little bit, you know. Getting those researchers names was not easy at all. I needed a bit of 'external' help!"

Fate stared at her friend with gratitude.

"Thank you Hayate. I am not going to let you down," Fate promised seriously.

Hayate hugged her again.

"I have no doubt about that Fate. I trust you," they she pulled a part to look Fate sternly in the eyes. "And I need you to trust me."

Fate sighed.

"Ok…what will be?"

"I need you to promise me that you will trust in me and that if there is something, anything that bother you or disturbs you in any way, you will come to me and will let me stick up for you."

Hayate was holding her firmly and Fate was sure she was not letting her go without her faithful and truthful promise.

"I promise."

After that, Fate breathed and got internally ready for her battle.

Decidedly, she opened the door for Hayate and together, got back to the meeting room where everybody was waiting for them.

-X-

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><p>Thanks in advance for your comments and reviews.<p> 


	4. NOT A CHAPTER

Well, it has been a long time since the last time.

I am very sorry guys for keeping all of you waiting but this year has been kind of complicated for me in more ways than one.

Despite of the fact that I really, really like this story and enjoy a lot writing an English version of it…the sad truth is that I am overwhelmed with job and other issues.

Luckily for you, English readers, there is a wonderful girl that has the courage and the patience to work with me and translate this story for all of you.

This story is closing on my side with this note but **The Legacy will continue by the hand and effort of Hikari-Fate**.

She is doing a terrific job with the translation of the story and I can dare to say that maybe, she will even deliver a better version than the one I could do.

Please, join me in thanking Hikari for her hard work, for the effort and all the time she is investing in this task. The best way to do this is following the story and leaving her a lot of reviews!

Go right now to her profile and favorite her so you will know right away when the story is published on her side!

u/3283584/HikariFate

Finally, I want to say a big "THANK YOU" to all of you that followed the story while I was doing the translation. Hopefully in the future I will be able to publish a new story in English. So far, I will go to finish the Spanish stories I left hanging out. I won´t be completely gone however, since I will be giving Hikari a bit of help as beta reader.

See you around!


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